1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to internal combustion engines, and more particularly, to a fuel reforming process that improves the efficiency of fuel consumption and reduces environmental pollutants generated by internal combustion engines.
2. Background of the Invention
In response to tightening EPA regulations on automobile exhaust, catalytic converters were introduced to the United States market in the 1970s. Catalytic converters are universally employed in automobile exhaust systems for the reduction of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and oxides of nitrogen. Employed in generator sets, forklifts, mining equipment, trucks, buses, trains, autos, and other engine-equipped machines, catalytic converters provide an environment for a chemical reaction where toxic combustion by-products are converted to less-toxic substances.
Although exhaust catalytic converters remove noxious gases and reduce some green house gases, these devices suffer from several drawbacks. For example, prior art catalytic converters admit spent fuel in a gaseous form rather than a liquid form. Further, the conversion of gases within these devices does not reduce greenhouse pollutants at an efficient rate.
Due to the world's finite supply of fossil fuels, the problems of inefficient catalytic converters must be addressed. For example, if catalytic converters could admit a liquid fuel and convert it into a gaseous fuel product prior to combustion, fuel would burn cleaner resulting in reduced pollution and have a higher combustive power by virtue of increased enthalpy of the converted gaseous product. It would be highly desirable if exhaust catalytic converters in products using fossil fuels, diesel fuels, or aircraft fuels, including liquefied coal, could further reduce greenhouse gas pollutants such as methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide.